‘Clayface’ Scores 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, Outperforming ‘Supergirl’
DC Studios has been working hard this year to demonstrate that its shared universe can offer more than just capes and bright heroics. ‘Clayface’, an R-rated body horror film centered on one of Batman’s most tragic villains, serves as a significant test of that concept. Given the rough summer preceding its release, the critical response holds more weight than usual.
The anticipation leading up to this verdict has been intense. Warner Bros. lifted the social media embargo on October 13, and early reactions from critics and creators have been largely positive, highlighting the film’s gore, Tom Rhys Harries’ performance, and drawing comparisons to ‘The Fly’ and ‘Darkman’. Initial audience ratings on Letterboxd show an average of 3.7 out of 5, placing it just behind ‘The Batman’ and ‘Superman’ among DC releases this decade.
Some viewers have been more reserved, acknowledging the excellent body horror and lead performance but noting that the story and a few unconventional choices made it a peculiar third entry for a DCU still carving out its identity. This mixed feedback has made the official Tomatometer debut a moment to watch closely.
With the full review embargo lifted on October 21, ‘Clayface’ now boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 77% based on 44 reviews. The film has received the red tomato icon indicating a Fresh rating, while the audience score on the Popcornmeter has yet to be established. This R-rated feature runs for 1 hour and 48 minutes and is set to hit theaters on October 23.
Although this is an early score that may fluctuate as more reviews come in, a Fresh debut for a film centered on a lesser-known Batman villain is a significant achievement for a studio eager for a win.
In context, this score is intriguing. ‘Supergirl’ landed in the 57% to 58% range on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the lowest-rated project in the DCU at that time, while ‘Superman’ holds an 83% critic score. ‘Creature Commandos’ achieved 95%, and ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 earned 94%.
This places ‘Clayface’ comfortably ahead of ‘Supergirl’ but still short of the top-rated entries in the DCU. With a reported budget of $40 million, a score in the high 70s is a respectable middle ground, suggesting that critics are responding positively to the film’s experimental nature, even if they have some reservations.
Not all critics are on board, however. ComicBookMovie’s Josh Wilding was the first to post a review on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of the embargo, giving the film 2.5 out of 5 and labeling it “DC’s Morbius moment”. While he praised Harries, he described the horror elements as disappointingly tame and forgettable.
That review was subsequently removed from the site, leading to a dispute among critics. Wilding stated he paid to see the film at a public UK screening without any agreement with Warner Bros., and he plans to repost it once the official embargo lifts. This incident underscores the intense scrutiny surrounding this release.
Watch the first trailer for #Clayface. The new DC horror film is in theaters October 23. https://t.co/gqrrtJSou5
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) April 22, 2026
The stakes are both practical and reputational. Tracking indicates ‘Clayface’ is projected to open between $25 million and $33 million domestically, which is close to the $37.1 million opening of ‘Supergirl’. That earlier film ultimately grossed about $126 million worldwide against a budget of $170 million and was widely regarded as a failure.
A common guideline suggests ‘Clayface’ needs to earn approximately $80 million to $100 million globally to break even. Given that it is an R-rated horror film released just before Halloween, its path to profitability appears clearer than most superhero films, and a Fresh critical score only bolsters its chances.
For now, early indicators are promising. Strong Letterboxd ratings, a Fresh Tomatometer score, and a modest budget provide DC Studios with something it has been missing in recent months: momentum as it heads into opening weekend.
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